The Ministry has accused Russia of wiping out the Crimean Tatar people in the guise of fight against terrorism.

KYIV (QHA) -

The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Ukraine are concerned about the situation with illegal searches of Crimean Tatars in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, according to a statement by the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Thus, February 11- 12, 2016 thirteen citizens of Ukraine - representatives of the Crimean Tatar people, have been detained on the peninsula.

- By violating rights and freedoms of people who in their homeland have become hostages of the Russian occupation regime as a result of the Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine, the Kremlin shows that in the 21st century it is following the terrible Soviet repression of 30-ies of the 20th century, as well as the genocide of the Crimean Tatars in 1944, reads a statement.

The Ministry noted that the Kremlin is trying to hide the policy aimed at wiping out the Crimean Tatar population in the guise of fight against terrorism. The Ministry called on the Russian Federation to immediately stop political reprisals against the Ukrainian citizens and to release illegally detained Emir Usein Kuke, Vadim Siruk, Enver Bekirov, Eldar Selyamiev and Muslim Aliyev.

- We address the democratic world with an appeal to strengthen the overall effective pressure on the occupying state since the today’s events in occupied Crimea are not only a flagrant violation of international law, but also a provocative disregard of human values, reported the Foreign Affairs Ministry.